Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Ffrankllyn

When I agreed to make the "gold medal" for the Knitting Olympics, I figured that would be the extent of my participation. After the ruana, I am no fan of knitting on a deadline. I thought the idea was brilliant, just not my cup of cocoa.

Then Marilyn asked me if I might like to join her and some other knitters in working on this, the Wedding Ring Shawl from Heirloom Knitting, as a summer project.

As you may remember, knitting lace is my personal Mt. Everest. I've dabbled in it, I've taken classes with Nancy Bush and Galina Khmeleva, I've read every book on it I can lay hands on. I just haven't actually made a finished project. And there's no way I was going to pass up a chance to work on a project with experienced knitters to offer advice and encouragement.

In order to get my chops ready for the Wedding Ring Shawl, I decided to take on one of the sample shawl* patterns from Galina's book on Orenberg lace, with the goal of finishing it and blocking it in a reasonable amount of time. I cannot promise to finish by the time the torch goes out, and I'm not going to let that worry me. My goal is to work a piece of lace to the end and block it.

In spite of everything I've read and everything that's been said to me, I'm sorry, but blocking in general is scary to a newbie and blocking lace, in particular, makes me want to crawl under the bed with my teddy bear. I have no intent of launching into a Shetland showpiece without prior experience of the whole process under my belt, so a sample shawl it is.

As nothing motivates me quite like a looming deadline (I was once a writer, after all) the Knitting Olympics seemed like the very thing to make me pick up the needles and just do it.

Funny, You Don't Look Welsh

Then I got a message from Brenda Dayne of the Cast On podcast, asking if I'd like to join the Welsh Knitting Olympics Team.

One brief romance with a guy from Cardiff notwithstanding, I don't have a drop of Welsh in me. But Aidan's doing it, and one of Susan's neighbors read A Child's Christmas in Wales to us on Christmas Eve, and I like leek soup, so I figured hey, why not. I just hope they don't ask me to sing the national anthem.

Speaking of Brenda: Yes, I am at work on another piece for an upcoming episode of her show. No, Herbie the Elf will not be making a guest appearance this time. Herbie and I are not speaking at the moment, and he knows perfectly well why. Thank you so much for bringing up a very painful subject.*Sample. Meaning miniature. Think doily. I am not going to try to knit a five-foot full-sized Orenberg in two weeks. Despite what you may have heard or any pictures you may have seen, I am not into masochism as a lifestyle.

All this talk of the Olympics is too too much. I'm not normally a sporting persona but maybe the mog will have to dip her paw into the game and make something. Now I wonder if there is a kitty team taking part?

You know, I really love the new spelling of your name. Very classy. Perhaps you should consider keeping it that way.

I admit to feeling the lure of Team Wales, which I do qualify for by ancestry as well as having visited and liking sheep and all that. But I'm proudly and officially registered as part of Team Canada. Our Committee had already organized team shirts and a pub night. How could I resist?

Oh, I too am fearful of blocking and lace. I am looking for a no miss pattern. THe last lace shawl I got halfway through had too many rows in similar sequence. Before I knew it, whatever i was chanting to myself from the previous row wound up in the next row chant. My brain gave up. I frogged. I think the only way it would have worked is if I had done one row a day for a thousand years or something. Soured me....

I'm a new commentor to The Panopticon though I've been an avid reader for several months.

Good luck with the Wedding Ring Shawl, Franklin! I've got it on my 2006 project list...but I admit to being a wee bit intimidated by it right now. The Knitting Olympics are a great excuse for me to yet again procrastinate on the casting on of WRS... ;-)

I think its outrageously funny to join Wales with such tenuous connections and good on them for asking. Nothing like expediency!PS the whole gym loves your two needles T shirt that I wear there. Those who know it point it out to others. A bit embarassing for this fat middle aged woman.

The little lace sampler from the Gossamer book is a very good thing. You'll learn lots. What yarn will you use?

I'd offer to come hold your hand while you block it, but I'm sure by the time I got there, you'll have it done. Blocking is great: it's very satisfying. You'll do fine. Mar posted about blocking a shawl just before she went to Rhinebeck; there was very good information there.

I see you have joined the ranks of the "ultra-skilled knitters." Once you get your hands scaled down to the fine yarn, the Wedding Ring should go quite smoothly.

Blocking lace is a transforming experience; you begin with a heap of gnarled old washing and end up with an ethereal wonder; another of the miracles of yarn. I'd suggest buying 6 times as many pins as you thought you needed and making sure you remove as many as possible from the mattress before retiring....

Great - I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related info ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.

Copyright and Posting Notice

All original content of this blog, both words and images, is held in copyright by F. Habit. Use of any kind, in any medium, for any reason without express, prior written consent is prohibited.

Permission is not granted for the posting of any content from this site to Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or any other Web site.

Please do not provide links to any product, service, organization or cause when leaving comments unless directly related to the topic of the post. Unsolicited advertising will be deleted and repeat offenders will be blocked.

When in doubt, please ask. I'm not mean, I'm just committed to preserving the quality of experience for my readers.